To say 2023 was a big year for Taylor Swift is an understatement.
From her record-breaking Eras Tour to being named Time’s Person of the Year, the buzz around her is alive more than ever. Her budding relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and appearances at NFL games have garnered polarizing reactions. Some claim she is ruining the sport, even though she has possibly contributed to higher ratings. While Swift is no stranger to this kind of attention, the level of hatred and obsession is not warranted.
With Super Bowl LVIII just around the corner, theories have arisen about the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens being rigged in the Chiefs’ favor so Swift can endorse President Joe Biden. Despite the team’s well-documented dominance, with six straight conference title appearances since 2018 and winning two Lombardi Trophies, this outlandish claim is one of many baffling takes on the singer.
Former NFL coach Tony Dungy proclaiming she is an example of why fans are not interested in the NFL is another take that also misses the mark, as she attracts new viewers who could become future fans. Ironically, the discourse about whether or not the NFL is showing Swift too much has been more distracting from on-the-field play than Swift herself.
Any legitimate complaints about her many appearances are not always directed at the right source. Why blame Swift when she is there to support Kelce and the Chiefs by extension?
She is doing what many other celebrities have done for decades. The media and the NFL milk Swift’s appearances to their benefit, as she provides a largely untapped audience to market to. It is not hard to see why because of the potential engagements on social media and possible revenue pictures and videos of the singer could bring; however, the coverage can seem excessive at times.
Despite a New York Times analysis of the amount of screentime Swift had during the games, it does not cover the scope of attention she has received outside of the games by sports media. This is not surprising because of how high her status has gotten. Even when she is not the main focus of a story or event, Swift always captures onlookers’ attention, whether or not she is present.
Her influence cannot be underestimated, but it should also not be overestimated to the point of believing conspiracies about an elaborate plot. She is not the problem, nor is she the person to blame.
